Two MP candidates from two separate opposition parities have said they will join the new parliament, despite their respective parties’ announcement in favor of boycott.

Roman Marsagishvili, who won a majoritarian MP contest in the Kazbegi single-mandate constituency under the Republican Party ticket, said he would join the new parliament. “I am a majoritarian MP and I will defend the interests of the [Kazbegi] constituency. I am not interested in anything else. I am interested in the interests of people of my constituency, who elected me,” he told Rustavi 2 TV on May 24.

Although the Republican Party has failed to clear 5% threshold to endorse its MP candidates under the party-list system, two of its majoritarian MP candidates won the elections – another in Tsageri single-mandate constituency. The Republican Party leaders have said they would welcome decision by those opposition parties, which have cleared 5% threshold, to boycott the new parliament.

Once popular singer and songwriter, Nugzar Ergemlidze, who is number four in the Labor Party’s list of MP candidates and who has never been engaged in any political activities before, also said on May 24 that he did not agree with boycott, although his party leader, Shalva Natelashvili, said on May 23 that he would join the nine-party opposition bloc’s decision not to enter in the new parliament.

The third group, the Christian-Democratic Party, which has also cleared the 5% threshold, has yet to announce its final decision. However, the party leader, Giorgi Targamadze, has already suggested that his party would not favor the boycott.

According to the law the new parliament should be convened no later than 20 days after it was elected – hence no later than June 10. The parliament can be convened anytime before the deadline.

Two-third of lawmakers should be present at the 150-seat parliament’s first session to officially recognize the new legislative body’s authority. The ruling party, according to the official results will have about 120 members – more than two-third majority.

Before formally becoming an MP, each elected new lawmaker should undergo drug test. Lawmaker’s mandate will not be confirmed without this test.

If a candidate refuses to enter the parliament, next person in the party/bloc’s list of MP candidates should be invited to take the seat.

The nine-party opposition bloc has endorsed 14 lawmakers under the party-list, proportional contest. The bloc has total of 174 persons in its list of MP candidates.

Two majoritarian MP candidates nominated by the bloc – Davit Gamkrelidze and Davit Saganelidze – have won polls in the Tbilisi’s two single-mandate constituencies. Both of them said they would not join the new parliament.

In case a lawmaker elected in the majoritarian contest refuses to take his mandate in the parliament, repeat elections in the constituency will be held.